Tom Aikens, who Mandrake disclosed earlier this month had been forced to restructure his business because of the credit crunch, is not the only prominent restaurateur to have sought new investors.

Tim Walker. Edited by Richard Eden

5:37PM GMT 27 Oct 2008

Simon Parker Bowles, the former brother-in-law of the Duchess of Cornwall, tells me that Green's, his much-loved restaurant in St James's, has been given a fresh injection of capital.

The brother of Brig Andrew Parker Bowles, Camilla's first husband, says Lord Daresbury now owns a third share after the dining room's smaller investors were bought out.

"It's time for a new boy on the block, to drive through new challenges," says Parker Bowles, who declines to say how much Daresbury paid. "We need someone like that who can share the load. The company is now split equally between me and my wife; Lord Daresbury; and Lord Vestey."

Green's, whose signature dish is "Haddock Parker Bowles", was a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales and is now frequented by diners including Baroness Thatcher, David Blunkett and Charles Clarke.

Lord Daresbury, 55, whose family received £87 million when they sold their stake in De Vere hotels in 2006, seems to have ambitious plans. "He is going to oversee the opening of some new restaurants, hopefully in the City," says Parker Bowles. "People may ask 'what are you doing?', but we think there are some great opportunities out there in this financial climate, like cheap property prices."